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The 11 biggest comebacks in European football

Barcelona's 6-1 win in the second leg of their CL last 16 tie v Paris Saint-Germain was not the first major comeback in European club competition. There have been many memorable recoveries, as our picture gallery shows.

A four-goal advantage squandered

Supporters of FC La Chaux-de-Fonds don't have fond memories of their tie against Leixoes SC in the 1961-62 Cup Winners' Cup. The Swiss won the first leg 6-2 at home, but in the return match, goalkeeper Leo Eichmann (pictured, right - in a match against FC Zurich), didn't have his best night as the Portuguese side won 5-0 - and sent La Chaux-de-Fonds crashing out of the tournament.

The miracle at the Betzenberg

Back in March of 1982 Kaiserslautern were still in the Bundesliga and faced Real Madrid in the quarterfinals oft he UEFA Cup. Having lost 3-1 in Madrid, the Red Devils beat Real, including West German international Uli Stielike (third from left), 5-0 back in Kaiserslautern to advance. The fact that the Spaniards had three players sent off didn't hurt Kaiserslautern's cause.

Just enough for the reversal

December 1985: Borussia Mönchengladbach traveled to Madrid holding a 5-1 advantage from the first leg of their third-round tie in the UEFA Cup, but managed to blow it. Jorge Valdano and Carlos Santillana scored a brace each in the second leg, played in Madrid's Bernabeu stadium to give Real precisely the result they required to advance: 4-0.

Seven goals in Krefeld

Bayern 05 Uerdingen were in the Bundesliga in the 1980s and '90s and even won the German Cup in 1985. This qualified them for the Cup Winners' Cup the following season. In 1986 the West German side lost to Dynamo Dresden in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie, played in East Germany, 2-0. However, they won 7-3 back home in Krefeld. Rudi Bommer (pictured) was one of their key players.

'Euro-Eddy' and a wild night at the Wildparkstadion

Karlsruhe have been in the second division for years, but they too have European memories to look back on. November 1993: Having lost 3-1 to the heavily favored Valencia in the first leg of their UEFA Cup, Winnie Schäfer's team ran the Spaniards ragged back at their own Wildparkstadion, winning the second leg 7-0 to advance to the round of 16. Edgar "Eddy" Schmitt (photo) had four of the goals.

A rare setback for Bayern Munich

A night to forget for Bayern Munich. May 1999: Bayern were up 1-0 after 90 minutes of the Champions League final in Barcelona. Then disaster struck: Manchester United's Teddy Sherringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer each scored in injury time to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Mario Basler, who had put Bayern ahead in the sixth minute, described it as a "bitter pill" to swallow.

A game of two halves

May 2005: AC Milan took a 3-0 lead in the first half and looked to be in the driver's seat of their Champions League final against Liverpool in Istanbul. In the second half, though, the "Reds" were a completely different team, scoring three goals in the space of 15 minutes to even the score. The Merseysiders prevailed on penalties allowing captain Steve Gerrard to lift the trophy.

David takes down Goliath

A classic David and Goliath story: AC Milan had no trouble with the underdogs, Deportivo La Coruna in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal in 2004, winning 4-1. However, in the second leg, the Spanish minnows took down the Italian giants, winning 4-0 to advance to the semis.

Four crucial minutes

The numbers in this comeback are not particularly impressive. Borussia Dortmund played to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal in Malaga. In the second leg, the Germans won 3-2. However, Malaga had taken a 2-1 lead into injurey time. Four minutes and two Dortmund goals later, Borussia had reversed the contest and advanced to the semis.

Left for dead

March 8, 2017. Barcelona looked to be dead and buried after having dropped first leg first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash against PSG 4-0 in Paris. In the second leg, Barca quickly scored three before Edinson Cavani pulled on back for Paris. In the final minutes, though, the Catalans came up with three more goals to make the final 6-1 - and advance 6-5 on aggregate.

A four-goal advantage squandered

Supporters of FC La Chaux-de-Fonds don't have fond memories of their tie against Leixoes SC in the 1961-62 Cup Winners' Cup. The Swiss won the first leg 6-2 at home, but in the return match, goalkeeper Leo Eichmann (pictured, right - in a match against FC Zurich), didn't have his best night as the Portuguese side won 5-0 - and sent La Chaux-de-Fonds crashing out of the tournament.

The miracle at the Betzenberg

Back in March of 1982 Kaiserslautern were still in the Bundesliga and faced Real Madrid in the quarterfinals oft he UEFA Cup. Having lost 3-1 in Madrid, the Red Devils beat Real, including West German international Uli Stielike (third from left), 5-0 back in Kaiserslautern to advance. The fact that the Spaniards had three players sent off didn't hurt Kaiserslautern's cause.

Just enough for the reversal

December 1985: Borussia Mönchengladbach traveled to Madrid holding a 5-1 advantage from the first leg of their third-round tie in the UEFA Cup, but managed to blow it. Jorge Valdano and Carlos Santillana scored a brace each in the second leg, played in Madrid's Bernabeu stadium to give Real precisely the result they required to advance: 4-0.

Seven goals in Krefeld

Bayern 05 Uerdingen were in the Bundesliga in the 1980s and '90s and even won the German Cup in 1985. This qualified them for the Cup Winners' Cup the following season. In 1986 the West German side lost to Dynamo Dresden in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie, played in East Germany, 2-0. However, they won 7-3 back home in Krefeld. Rudi Bommer (pictured) was one of their key players.

'Euro-Eddy' and a wild night at the Wildparkstadion

Karlsruhe have been in the second division for years, but they too have European memories to look back on. November 1993: Having lost 3-1 to the heavily favored Valencia in the first leg of their UEFA Cup, Winnie Schäfer's team ran the Spaniards ragged back at their own Wildparkstadion, winning the second leg 7-0 to advance to the round of 16. Edgar "Eddy" Schmitt (photo) had four of the goals.

A rare setback for Bayern Munich

A night to forget for Bayern Munich. May 1999: Bayern were up 1-0 after 90 minutes of the Champions League final in Barcelona. Then disaster struck: Manchester United's Teddy Sherringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer each scored in injury time to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Mario Basler, who had put Bayern ahead in the sixth minute, described it as a "bitter pill" to swallow.

A game of two halves

May 2005: AC Milan took a 3-0 lead in the first half and looked to be in the driver's seat of their Champions League final against Liverpool in Istanbul. In the second half, though, the "Reds" were a completely different team, scoring three goals in the space of 15 minutes to even the score. The Merseysiders prevailed on penalties allowing captain Steve Gerrard to lift the trophy.

David takes down Goliath

A classic David and Goliath story: AC Milan had no trouble with the underdogs, Deportivo La Coruna in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal in 2004, winning 4-1. However, in the second leg, the Spanish minnows took down the Italian giants, winning 4-0 to advance to the semis.

Four crucial minutes

The numbers in this comeback are not particularly impressive. Borussia Dortmund played to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal in Malaga. In the second leg, the Germans won 3-2. However, Malaga had taken a 2-1 lead into injurey time. Four minutes and two Dortmund goals later, Borussia had reversed the contest and advanced to the semis.

Left for dead

March 8, 2017. Barcelona looked to be dead and buried after having dropped first leg first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash against PSG 4-0 in Paris. In the second leg, Barca quickly scored three before Edinson Cavani pulled on back for Paris. In the final minutes, though, the Catalans came up with three more goals to make the final 6-1 - and advance 6-5 on aggregate.